1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicular power supply apparatus including an electric generator/motor or a fuel cell. In addition, this invention relates to an engine-drive-regulation supporting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical automotive vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine includes a power supply apparatus in which a battery can be charged by an alternator. Generally, the rate of the power generation by the alternator is adjusted to regulate the battery voltage at a desired level.
A typical automotive vehicle with a hybrid drive includes an electric generator/motor which can be operated in either a generator mode or a motor mode. The electric generator/motor is coupled with an engine. The hybrid-drive vehicle generally includes a power supply apparatus in which a battery can be charged by the electric generator/motor. When the vehicle is decelerated, the battery is charged by the electric generator/motor so that energy can be recovered. When the vehicle is accelerated, the battery is discharged to activate the electric generator/motor to assist the vehicle acceleration. Usually, the rate of the power generation by the electric generator/motor is adjusted to control the charge state of the battery at a target. The control of the battery charge state is to optimize the charging and discharging of the battery during the recovery of vehicle-deceleration energy and during assistance to vehicle acceleration.
A battery designed to provide an appreciable portion of power to drive a vehicle tends be large in size and heavy in weight.
Japanese patent application publication number P2000-16199A discloses a power feed apparatus for a vehicle. The power feed apparatus includes a wire harness connecting a battery and loads. The wire harness has first and second conductive members. A first comparator monitors the potential at the first conductive member. The first comparator detects when the first conductive member short-circuits to a ground. A processor connected to the first comparator activates a warning lamp when the first comparator detects short circuit of the first conductive member to the ground. A second comparator monitors the potential at the second conductive member. The second comparator detects when the second conductive member short-circuits to the ground. The processor is connected with the second comparator. The processor opens a relay switch and thereby disconnects the battery from the loads when the second comparator detects short circuit of the second conductive member to the ground.
It is a first object of this invention to provide a vehicular power supply apparatus which is relatively small in size and relatively light in weight.
It is a second object of this invention to provide a new and good engine-drive-regulation supporting apparatus.
A first aspect of this invention provides a power supply apparatus for a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a power feed portion including a power storage portion and a power generating portion, the power storage portion including a storage battery, the power storage portion and the power generating portion transmitting and receiving electric power to and from each other, the power feed portion feeding electric power to a plurality of on-vehicle loads; and a control portion for controlling the electric power fed from the power feed portion to the on-vehicle loads; wherein the control portion includes means for, in cases where the sum of feedable electric power is smaller than the sum of required electric power or in cases where an electric quantity related to the sum of feedable electric power is smaller than an electric quantity related to the sum of required electric power, increasing the sum of feedable electric power or decreasing the sum of required electric power, wherein the sum of feedable electric power is equal to electric power which can be fed from the power feed portion to the on-vehicle loads, and which contains electric power generated by the power generating portion and electric power feedable from the storage battery, and wherein the sum of required electric power is equal to the sum of electric power consumed by the on-vehicle loads.
A second aspect of this invention provides a power supply apparatus for a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a power feed portion including a power storage portion and a power generating portion, the power storage portion including a storage battery, the power storage portion and the power generating portion transmitting and receiving electric power to and from each other, the power feed portion feeding electric power to a plurality of on-vehicle loads; and a control portion for controlling the electric power fed from the power feed portion to the on-vehicle loads; wherein the control portion includes means for, in cases where the sum of required electric power exhibits a variation, detecting the variation in the sum of required electric power on the basis of drive conditions of the on-vehicle loads or conditions of currents, means for changing electric power generated by the power generating portion in response to the detected variation, and means for, in cases where an increase in the sum of required electric power can not be met by an increase in the electric power generated by the power generating portion, discharging the storage battery to compensate for the difference therebetween, and wherein the sum of required electric power is equal to the sum of electric power consumed by all of electrically-powered loads including the on-vehicle loads.
A third aspect of this invention provides an engine-drive-regulation supporting apparatus mounted on a vehicle driven by an engine. The apparatus comprises engine-drive-regulated region detecting means including at least one of means for judging whether or not the position of the vehicle is in a prescribed engine-drive-regulated region on the basis of information received from a vehicle position detecting device provided on the vehicle or from an external with respect to the vehicle, and means for receiving an engine-drive-regulation signal from an external with respect to the vehicle; and engine-drive regulating means for giving a notice to a vehicle driver, suspending the engine, or decelerating the engine when it is judged that the position of the vehicle is in the prescribed engine-drive-regulated region or in response to reception of the engine-drive-regulation signal.